Thursday, May 21, 2009

Substitute teachering

I've had a rather diverse teaching experience over the last year. Subbing has been great for several reasons. One is that I get to be someone different everyday. Two is that I get to see a lot of different schools and see how they function. Here are some notable experiences:

1. Of course my seventh graders. I adore them. Cute and friendly and still actually wanting to learn. A couple of them have tried to add me as a friend on Facebook, but I just send them messages back. One boy wrote to inform me that an inside joke that was created between me and a student (and his class) is still going on. It made me smile to think that they still think about me.

2. Of course my 11th graders. A lot of these kids were kids I taught last spring since I was back at the same school. Even though I was only there covering for one teacher for 6 weeks, I got close to a lot of them. Two girls brought me girl scout cookies on my last day. There isn't a better gift than that. The best part about my 11th graders is that I still sub once in a while at that school, and when they see me in the hall they yell my name, invite me to chat with their friends, joke around, and one once nearly tackled me to the ground for a hug. Another good thing about subbing at this school is that I'm familiar with it. I've subbed a few times for one teacher and her kids have taken to saying "hello" to me in the halls and/or making fun of me when I can't remember their names. I'm learning I have the grandma name disorder bad. I mistake kids that have the same hair color, same facial structure or the same color shirt. It's not okay.

Here is a list of teachers I've been (and possible anicdotes) in the last few months:

1. Industrial tech- me and 30 boys. You can only imagine the awkwardness and stares.

2. Dance/Ballet- one student actually asked if I would be teaching them. I nearly cried from laughter.

3. 7th grade science

4. 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12th grade math (apparently math teachers get sick a lot)

5. Special education- I got to be good friends with one boy who insisted I return for cooking day.

6. ELL- A boy once tried to talk shit about me in Spanish and I turned to him and said, "Entiendo Espanol." I've never seen eyes get so wide before. O_O

7. PE- I got to do archery. Very fun. I feel hardcore now since the student teacher taught me how to shoot. I'm not bad at it either!

8. Physics- I'm sorry, what do I need to know about centripetal force?

9. Social Studies- basically English without books.

10. Band/music teacher- a boy I had for social studies was in two of my classes that day. I heard him several times tell students, "Hey it's that teacher with the perfect grillz!"

I think that's all. Really, I hate subbing more than anything. But I'm trying to remain positive.

3 comments:

  1. I laughed out loud at least four times while reading this. It even spawned a debate about centrifugal vs. centripetal force in hour household :0) So, your experiences weren't a total waste. lol

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  2. Many wonderful experiences! You are so lucky. I want to be a fly on the wall when Maggie teaches industrial tech. Now, about physics: two points. Number one. There's tons of physics going on in archery (as well as the Zen) and like when you drive your car. Number two, you've hit on one of my peeves, mostly for those elementary teachers (so I guess you are off the hook), who say "ooooh science, ooooh math, yuch, it's hard" and have no enthusiasm for either. They turn off kids to science and math at a young age. And we've lost our next Newton.

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  3. It's not that I have no interest in them. It's just completely over my head. I took physics in high school, and liked it. The problem was that I got lost early and couldn't keep up. I don't think my mind is geared towards that kind of organized thinking.

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